章節 182: Chapter 182
A/N: In this fanfiction, for the convenience of the plot, we are going to consider that Vivre cards follow the position of the owner using whose nails the Vivre card was created, rather than pointing to the other pieces of the cards.
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Somewhere in North Blue
Inside a dimly lit underground cavern, Doflamingo, clad in his distinctive red suit, sat casually on a wooden crate. Surrounding him were countless corpses, evidence of a brutal slaughter. In front of him lay the battered and broken body of Morgans, the owner of the World Economy Newspaper.
Morgans, a tall, bird-like man with a beak and wings, wore his signature hat and suit, now torn and bloodied. His usually imposing figure was now a crumpled heap of pain and defiance.
Diamante, one of Doflamingo's top officers, clad in his orange suit, was meticulously cleaning up, ensuring no guard was left alive in the underground room with the help of his logia soot ability. This was one of the many secret bases Morgans used to operate his newspaper in secrecy.
Tracking down Morgans had been no easy feat. He had numerous flying air bases, making him a moving target. Without the foresight of Little Shyarly, Doflamingo might never have caught him. Morgans had been rising rapidly in the underworld since his advent at the time of the Gods Valley incident, and he is now currently seated firmly in the Underground as one of its emperors.
"Fufufufu! You are one slippery bird, aren't you, Morgans?" Doflamingo kicked the downed man. "I had to run around the whole of North Blue to find you. You're lucky I need you, or you'd have ended up like your subordinates." He pointed at the hundreds of corpses littering the underground base.
Morgans, battered and bruised, held a defiant gaze. However, he was also shocked. How had Doflamingo managed to track him down? Even the World Government, with all its resources, had been unable to pin him down. They resorted to blackmailing workers or trying to infiltrate his company, negotiating through special transponder snails. He had even slipped past the infamous Cipher Pol Aigis many times.
"Wondering how I caught you, Morgans?" Doflamingo chuckled, gesturing for Morgans to take a seat on the crate in front of him.
"No, I'm wondering why someone like you, who is at war with the entire underworld in North Blue, would take the time and trouble to find me. As far as I know, neither I nor my company were involved in the matter that happened all those years ago." Morgans picked himself up and sat on the wooden crate, realizing that Doflamingo wanted him alive. If he handled this carefully, he might just come out of it alive.
"But that didn't stop you from writing about me and my little brother in your newspaper. I especially loved that piece you wrote about him after what we did in Impel Down. I wonder how you came up with those pictures, and you didn't stop there; you shared the information about all my little ones with the World Government, didn't you?" Doflamingo chuckled.
Morgans' face paled. He had thought he was being discreet. His company had paid hefty rewards to informants within Dressrosa who provided details about the new members of the Donquixote family. Those who provided pictures were given extra rewards, and he had sold this information to the World Government at a high price. This was why even little Smoker, Gladius, and Lucci had bounties on their heads.
Morgans knew that one wrong word could mean his death. The young man sitting in front of him would rip his head off without hesitation.
"I originally wanted to hunt you down and roast you, but my little brother had a different idea, and I kind of agree with him. You almost control the opinion of the entire world with your newspaper, especially in the Four Blues and the first half of the Grand Line," Doflamingo narrowed his eyes, his tone turning serious.
"What are you implying, Doflamingo? You should know my connections with the World Government. If you truly understand the sway my newspaper holds, you should also know how important I am to them," Morgans smirked, attempting to leverage his connection with the World Government.
Doflamingo's veins popped in anger at the mention of the World Government. With a cruel smile, he stepped on Morgans' foot, crushing it.
"Aaargh!" Morgans screamed in pain, but Doflamingo held him firmly by the shoulder, not letting him fall.
"You are nothing to them. They wouldn't lift a finger if I slaughtered you in cold blood. I may need you, but that doesn't mean I won't kill you, Morgans. Don't push your luck." Doflamingo's demeanor then returned to normal with a smirk.
"Now, where was I? Ah, yes. Tell me, Morgans, what is your opinion about the power of information?" He asked in a teasing tone.
Morgans, trying to control his breathing through the pain, looked up at Doflamingo. His mind raced. He knew he had to tread carefully. The power of information was his lifeline, and Doflamingo knew it.
"Information is power," Morgans finally replied, his voice hoarse. "It shapes perceptions, controls narratives, and can bring down empires or build them up. But you already know that, Doflamingo. What do you want from me?"
Doflamingo's smile widened, a glint of satisfaction in his eyes. "Exactly, Morgans. Information is power. And you, my feathery friend, are going to help me control that power. You will continue your work, but from now on, you will serve my interests. You will shape the world's perception to suit my needs."
Morgans' heart sank. He was being conscripted into a game far more dangerous than he had ever imagined. But as he looked into Doflamingo's eyes, he knew he had no choice but to play along. For now, survival was all that mattered.
"Master Doffy!" Senor, clad in a meticulously tailored black suit, arrived silently next to Doffy and whispered in his ear. Morgans strained to eavesdrop on their conversation, curious about the exchange. Senor handed a sheet of paper to Doffy and respectfully stood by his side.
"Fufufufu, it seems luck is on my side," Doffy murmured to himself, then turned his attention back to Morgans with a chuckle, holding the sheet of paper in his hand.
"Do you know what this is, Morgans?" he questioned, his voice sly. Morgans gave him a blank look. "Of course, I'm not unaware of what a Vivre card looks like," he commented, but realization suddenly struck him, freezing him in shock.
"You're smart, Morgans, and I like smart people," Doffy said with a cruel smirk. "You see, my friend Senor here has painstakingly learned the method of creating Vivre cards, especially for occasions such as these. So, if you ever entertain thoughts of defying me again, rest assured, I'll find you without all this effort." His words hung ominously in the air, and Morgans couldn't help but gulp in fear.
Turning to the man who had delivered the Vivre card, Morgans wondered where he had disappeared earlier. Crafting a Vivre card from nail clippings was a rare skill, even in the New World, yet Doffy had someone who could do it. This spelled a sealed fate for Morgans, whose mind raced for countermeasures.
"Dofflamingo, you're ambitious indeed. I may not know your true goal, but even if I assist you, how long until the World Government neutralizes me for exclusively publishing news against their interests?" Morgans challenged, his voice laced with a hint of defiance.
"The only reason I'm spared now is because I occasionally aid them in manipulating public opinion. Once they realize I'm out of their control, I'm as good as dead. So, it doesn't make much difference, does it?"
"Do you think I'm that naive, Morgans?" Doffy retorted, his tone low and dangerous. "Why would I expose you so easily? You have a crucial role in my future plans." With a gesture, Senor handed Morgans a folder. Opening it with confusion, Morgans began to read, growing increasingly shocked at Doffy's audacious plans.
"You... you want to start your own newspaper?" Morgans exclaimed incredulously. "And you want me to handle production and distribution for nearly half of what you intend to print?"
"Exactly," Doffy confirmed with a chuckle, his eyes glittering with ambition. "This way, we can distribute my papers secretly, without the World Government's knowledge. To the world, this new source of information will appear as an anonymous power, while my family pulls the strings from the shadows."
"Even if I manage this covertly, how do you plan to distribute these papers? What about funding? And what's in it for me?" Morgans pressed, his mind calculating the complexities of running a second newspaper, especially under such secrecy.
"Come now, Morgans, I'm a businessman as well," Doffy replied with a cruel glint in his eyes. "You won't suffer financially. You'll receive your funding and a generous cut for your efforts. Plus, I'll spare your life. Cross me, and you'll learn just how dangerous I can be—more so than those you fear above. As for distribution, the NewsCoo Network doesn't work exclusively for you. Did you think their secret would remain hidden forever?"
Senor nonchalantly placed a black transponder snail in Morgans' hand. "Keep this close, Morgans. It's your lifeline. Here's to a fruitful cooperation between us."
Soon enough, Doffy, Senor, and Diamante left the underground base. "So, little Shyarly has confirmed it, has she?" Doffy questioned. His normally calm demeanor was now laced with fury. All three of them had been waiting for this day.
"Yes, Master Doffy," Senor responded. "Little Shyarly has divined it multiple times. The auction by Germa is a trap to bring us down. However, the news of the Mythical Zoan fruit being auctioned seems to be true. It's likely the World Government offered it as bait to lure us in."
"Forget about the fruit, Senor; it's secondary," Doffy said, wrath pouring from every pore. "I just want to make sure he will be there."
"Yes, Master Doffy. Additionally, it seems one of the Shichibukai will also be there as part of the ambush," Senor added.
From the side, Diamante grunted and gestured, still unable to speak fully. Yet, Doffy understood him perfectly.
"Well, Diamante, if it's just these many, I'm sure we can handle it on our own," Doffy said with a smirk. "But let's not take any chances. From our last intel, it seems my little brother's friend is in the vicinity too. Let's have a word with Ross and see if his friend is available for hire." He chuckled darkly.
"And remember, Senor, I want him alive. If possible, let's try to get our hands on that devil fruit too," Doffy added. Due to continuous battles in the past few months, Doffy had already breached the Admiral level, boosting his confidence. However, this matter involved the CP0, a Shichibukai, and Germa 66.
"How do we deal with Germa 66, Master Doffy?" Senor questioned.
"The way we always deal with our enemies, Senor," Doffy replied with a sinister smile. "If Judge had any sense, he would've stayed away from this conflict. But the fool had the audacity to take the underworld's contract to spring a trap for us. I'll show him what happens when he messes with the Donquixote family."
As they walked through the dimly lit corridors of the underground base, the tension was palpable. Each step echoed with the promise of retribution. Doffy's mind raced, calculating every possible move and counter-move.
"Master Doffy," Senor ventured cautiously, "do you think the World Government suspects the full extent of our plans?"
"Let them suspect," Doffy replied coldly. "Their suspicions won't save them. By the time they realize what's happening, it will be too late."
As they boarded their ship hidden within a cove on the island, Doffy turned to Senor with a questioning look. "Do you have any other news from Issho back home?" he asked.
"Yes, Master Doffy," Senor replied dutifully, handling all communications for Doffy. "It seems the young master has provided sanctuary for the Dark King and the former Shichibukai Shakuyaku. She has also been given a prime plot of land next to where Little Shyarly's mermaid café is being built."
Doffy couldn't help but grin widely. He knew the implications of having Silvers Rayleigh and Shakuyaku in Dressrosa. Although these individuals might not be directly under his control, as long as he had Ross by his side, they wouldn't pose a problem.
"My little brother sure knows how to reel in the big fish," Doffy remarked with a chuckle. "Fine, in that case, have some of our people divert resources to Amazon Lily. The Kuja will be a valuable addition to our forces in the future."
"What about Water 7? Any updates from Tom?" he inquired further.
"Everything has been going smoothly," Senor reported. "Tom-san mentioned that, at worst, he should complete the project in five to six years."
"Good," Doffy nodded. "Deploy a few more people discreetly to enhance his security. He is a crucial piece in my brother's plan, and we can't afford for anything to happen to him."
Doffy then turned his attention to another matter. "What about the main railgun cannon on the top of King's Plateau? Has it been completed yet?"
"Yes, Master. It's completed. In addition, three other railguns have been deployed at various strategic locations," Senor confirmed.
Doffy's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "Excellent. With those railguns, Dressrosa's defenses will be nearly impenetrable. Ensure that their operation is kept under the highest security protocols."
As the ship set sail, the crew worked efficiently, their loyalty and fear of Doffy driving their every move. The sea breeze carried the scent of salt and opportunity, and Doffy's mind was already calculating his next steps.
"Master Doffy," Senor continued, "should we also reinforce our spy network in the World Government? With the recent movements, it might be wise to have more eyes and ears on the inside."
"No, it's too risky. Try something now; it will just risk exposing the foothold that we have gained. What we really should be working on is a way to infiltrate into the core of the world government, but that's not something we can achieve easily." Doffy countered. They did have some people working for them, but within the World Government, they really had no sway.
Senor nodded and made a note of the order. "And what about our expansion plans in the New World? The territories recently raided by the Donquixote pirates surrounding our current territory are ripe for the taking."
Doffy's grin turned into a predatory smile. "Yes, move forward with those plans. But proceed with caution. We don't want to spread ourselves too thin. Prioritize securing the most strategic locations first, and ensure we have the strength to hold them."
As the ship glided through the waters, Doffy stood at the helm, gazing at the horizon. His mind was a whirlwind of strategies and contingencies. He was ready to seize every opportunity and crush any opposition that dared to stand in his way.
"Remember, Senor," Doffy said, his voice cold and determined, "we are not just playing a game. We are shaping the future. And in this world, only the strongest and the most cunning will survive."
Senor, feeling the weight of his master's words, nodded solemnly. The path ahead was fraught with danger and uncertainty, but under Doffy's ruthless leadership, they were ready to face whatever came their way.
"So, what about my little brother? What is he up to lately?" Doffy asked with a smile, a rare and genuine expression reserved only for his little brother. Even Senor, standing by his side, couldn't help but smile at the mention of Rosinante.
"It seems the young master will be staying in East Blue for some time," Senor responded. "He has already forwarded the instructions that need to be followed in the meantime."
"Good, good," Doffy said, his voice filled with warmth. "It's good that he's taking a break. He has been working continuously for quite some time, and a break will do him good. We can't expect my little brother to carry all the weight now, can we?" He chuckled, looking out at the horizon. The smile on his face was genuine and full of brotherly affection.
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Currently updated until Chapter 236.
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